Great FTC disclosure language

by bizgrower

Posted: 9 years ago 13 replies

OFF TOPIC

I got a kick out of this:

"We are required by the FTC to disclose the typical customer results. Quite honestly, the typical customer does not make any money whatsoever. In fact, the typical customer does not even finish the first of three training videos. Less than 1 in 100 ever ask a question, leave feedback, or otherwise show they're putting in any focused effort at all. Like anything worthwhile, this program does require work. The typical customer puts in very little work. Before you buy, you should stop and ask yourself if you're typical. Read the Rest of Our Disclosure Statement Below. "

seasoned

9 years ago

The really SICK PART? They CLAIM TO BE, and THINK they are honest, but THINK ABOUT IT! THINK ABOUT IT! 99.9% of those writing such a disclaimer are REALLY saying! "FORGET ABOUT IT! I LIED! IT ISN'T so quick and simple!"

After all, MOST may claim up and down there is NO secret, shortcut, etc.... THEN, they turn around and say OK, there IS one, but you must pay me to tell you!

One of the LATEST scams is They turn around and say OK, there IS one, but you must pay me X to tell you! THEN, 20-30% through the transaction, they say OOOPS! I decided NOT to tell you! If you want me to tell you, pay this extra amount for THAT info. LATER, they may claim about yet ANOTHER piece missing that is available for yet ANOTHER charge. You can CALL it an upsell, cross sell, etc.... But if you include ITS benefits on the main product description, or do it partway through the sale in a deceptive manner, it is neither, and really just fraud. BESIDES, one of your selling points may be price, and this deprives the customer of judging that fairly. And THAT is why people do it!

Yeah, sales people are getting ever sneakier. I wonder when the FTC is going to state NO, you must follow TRADITIONAL business practices and do ALL in ONE transaction with all disclaimers up front. Only THEN will all this garbage stop. Would YOU buy from a grocery store, if every time you got to the cashier they said you had to buy something ELSE because the label is wrong, and had to do it an average of 5 times? NO WAY! You would probably leave the cart and say "FORGET THIS, I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR LIES!"!

BTW the FTC was started PRECISELY to stop such garbage!

Steve

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David Beroff

9 years ago

Steve, chill. I thought that paragraph was refreshingly honest, (and legal, to boot).

No one is going to just hand you the world on a platter. People who expect otherwise almost deserve to be taken for a ride.

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seasoned

9 years ago

Originally Posted by David Beroff

Well, you are talking about the old, if they can be fooled, FOOL THEM scam! What about THIS story!

I can replace your office of 21 workers with 4 that cost less, need to know less, can work half the time, and produce DOUBLE the results and profit of your old staff! Does THAT sound like a scam? IT WAS DONE!

How about getting rid of a job, and increasing production by several orders of magnitude? IT WAS DONE!

How about Exercising only once a week for a few minutes, and getting FAR stronger, with NO STEROIDS, or even special supplements or protein? IT WAS DONE!

OK, THOSE were NOT scams, even though they very much sounded like it!

How about double your leads without doing any extra work? How to write fantastic copy that sells? Buy an already created package that can sell for you? THEY were scams

o if you automatically think too good to be true means scam, and otherwise doesn't, you miss out on a LOT.

As for being legal? Technically, it isn't. Eventually, the FTC may make that clear. If you offer benefits, they are to be for what you are SELLING! NOT for something you will LATER sell, etc... That grocery store analogy I made is a good one. I doubt anyone here would put up with it. The form thing may be better tolerated, but people don't like it. And business you lose will RARELY be noticed as such. Many systems won't even show the ATTEMPT!

Steve

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David Beroff 9 years ago

Originally Posted by seasoned

Well, you are talking about the old, if they can be fooled, FOOL THEM scam!

Huh? I am? Where do you see that?

Originally Posted by seasoned

[S]o if you automatically think too good to be true means scam, and otherwise doesn't, you miss out on a LOT.

Where is this even discussed?

Originally Posted by seasoned

As for being legal? Technically, it isn't.

Um, you mean overly-cautious disclaimer language that makes the point far more clear than the standard legalese boilerplate? Yes, it is. Plus one's customers can and will respect you for doing this. I do something similar with disclaimers that have the same intent as, "Past performance is no guarantee of future returns."

Originally Posted by seasoned

If you offer benefits, they are to be for what you are SELLING! NOT for something you will LATER sell, etc...

Well, at least we agree on something.
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- seasoned 9 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by David Beroff
  
  Huh? I am? Where do you see that?
  
  YOU said: "No one is going to just hand you the world on a platter. People who expect otherwise almost deserve to be taken for a ride."
  
  Steve
  
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  David Beroff 9 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by seasoned
  
  YOU said: "No one is going to just hand you the world on a platter. People who expect otherwise almost deserve to be taken for a ride.
  
  The comment was regarding the buyers, not the sellers.
  
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bizgrower

9 years ago

David,

That's exactly how I took her presentation.
You have to work... you will need to watch the training videos several times...

It's in the real estate/bird dogging arena

Dan

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David Beroff

9 years ago

Originally Posted by bizgrower

It's in the real estate/bird dogging arena.

Knowing nothing about the product, other than that one sentence, I'm guessing that it's an ideal example for this discussion. The investment club that I represent is always on the lookout for properties that meet its criteria, (we've bought several million dollars' worth so far), and I'm quite certain that it'd pay bird-dogs well, assuming that they knew what they were doing, and worked hard. But most people will watch (some of) the videos and shrug, assuming that such a position would either be a scam, or not worth the effort.

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bizgrower

9 years ago

Originally Posted by David Beroff

Yes, it's a little bit complicated system for finding certain houses via the internet for investors.
I think you create your own list of client investors as well.
locatorgold.com - no affiliation.

Dan

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David Beroff 9 years ago

Originally Posted by bizgrower

I think you create your own list of client investors as well.

While we already have 465 investors, (with $12.6 million in combined assets), I think that that part might still be of some interest (to me, anyway).
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- bizgrower 9 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by David Beroff
  
  While we already have 465 investors, (with $12.6 million in combined assets), I think that that part might still be of some interest (to me, anyway).
  
  Hit and miss if they are ready to buy when you talk to them, if they invest in real estate or not,
  if they invest in the type of property you have found...
  
  ConnectedInvestors.com and PrivateMoneyGoldmine.com may be of interest as well.
  I have only perused both, not used them. Not affiliate links.
  
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  David Beroff 9 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by bizgrower
  
  ConnectedInvestors.com and PrivateMoneyGoldmine.com may be of interest as well.
  
  Thank you! These may be good places to advertise.
  
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  bizgrower 9 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by David Beroff
  
  Thank you! These may be good places to advertise.
  
  You're welcome.
  
  Perhaps helpful:
  RealEstateMogul.com (Again a peruser, and Preston Ely is entertaining)
  RealtyMogul.com (I thought this was the name for RealEstateMogul.com,
  but it looks interesting.)
  No affiliate links
  
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Great FTC disclosure language

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